Introduced as the grumpy but sweet diner owner on Gilmore Girls, Luke Danes has a heartwarming character arc, as he became a father to April and fell in love with Lorelai. Another person had a big impact on him and that's his nephew Jess Mariano. When Jess started living with Luke in the show's second season, the teen was gruff and cold, unwilling to be part of this quirky town that his mom thought he should spend some time in.
Jess improved as a character from his first appearance to when fans were excited to see him again in the revival A Year In The Life. But were Stars Hollow residents right to be worried about him when he first showed up in town? Or was he a good kid who needed more love and support?
Deserved A Chance: Rory Saw Something Good And Special In Him
Rory and Jess had an intense flirtation while she was still in a relationship with Dean. But even before she admitted that she had real feelings for him, Rory knew that Jess was nicer than anyone thought.
She saw the good in Jess and believed that he was a special person. Since Stars Hollow put Rory on a pedestal, why didn't her opinion of Jess carry more weight and convince people to give him a chance and offer him support? It seems strange that this didn't seem to matter, as Rory was smart, cautious, and logical.
Stars Hollow Was Right: He Was Rude To Everyone But Rory
On the other hand, Jess didn't give people much reason to like him or even want him around. When he moved in with Luke, he was rude to everyone but Rory, including his uncle.
Jess made Luke's life miserable on many occasions and he didn't take responsibility for his behavior or want to apologize. He didn't want to live with Luke and he felt that he had no control over his life. He had no interest in listening to anyone.
Deserved A Chance: He Had A Sad, Neglected Home Life
Jess did have some legitimate reasons for his bad behavior, though, and that's because he had a home life that was much sadder than Rory's. While Rory grew up with a loving mom who was a good friend and made sure she could follow her dreams safely and happily, Jess couldn't say the same. Luke's sister Liz is kind but ditzy and had trouble raising Jess.
If the people of Stars Hollow had understood where Jess was coming from, maybe they wouldn't have been so quick to judge him, and they would have welcomed him with open arms instead of suspicion.
Stars Hollow Was Right: He Skipped School
Many teens who are considered rebellious tend to skip school and Jess was no different. But instead of hanging out all day in a coffee shop or going to the movies or the mall, he got a job and actually worked a full-time schedule there.
While people did judge Jess, they were right to be concerned about him as he was wrong to miss school. He's a smart person and thought that he was too good for high school, but getting an education is important.
Deserved A Chance: The Car Accident Wasn't On Purpose
Lorelai and Luke put their wedding on hold for years, and before they even started dating, their relationship was a dramatic one.
When Jess came to town, Lorelai was worried about him, and she and Luke argued after Jess and Rory got into a car accident. Lorelai blamed Jess, and Luke felt really hurt by her comments. Jess definitely deserved a chance here, as he would never put Rory in harm's way on purpose, and he didn't want the accident to happen.
Stars Hollow Was Right: He Kept Rory's Bracelet
When Rory couldn't find the bracelet that Dean made her, the likely culprit seemed to be Jess since he was known as the town bad boy.
Jess did find the bracelet, and at first, it seems like he wasn't aware that it was from Dean and that it was so special to Rory. But he definitely kept it for much longer than he should have, and this is another reason that the residents of quirky Stars Hollow were totally right to be suspicious of Jess. He didn't usually act in a polite manner and he often struggled to do the right thing.
Deserved A Chance: He Loved Luke And Thanked Him For Everything He Did
Several episodes focused on Jess and Rory's romance and many showed the trouble that Luke and Jess had getting along in the beginning. After a while, they bonded more and had a mutual understanding.
After Liz and T.J. got married at the end of season 4, Jess proved that he loved Luke and knew what a big deal it was that he helped him out. He said that he appreciated everything he did for him, from giving him a place to stay to the money that he gave him. Luke said, "I'm here, Jess, I'm always here" and they shared a sweet and heartwarming hug. This would have been surprising for some people to see, as they assumed that Jess didn't care, but he loved Luke more than he let on.
Stars Hollow Was Right: He Didn't Respect Rory And Dean's Romance
Anyone would be concerned when their partner is openly flirting with someone else, and it was no wonder that Dean didn't love that Jess and Rory had a special connection.
Jess was disrespectful of Rory and Dean's relationship, as he continued to flirt with Rory and make his feelings clear, and he paid more attention to her than anyone else. This was another time when he proved that some criticism of his behavior was totally fair.
Deserved A Chance: He Had A Strong Work Ethic
While it definitely wasn't ideal that Jess worked at Wal-Mart during school hours, as he could have just gotten a part-time after-school position, he did prove that he had a strong work ethic. He also helped out at Luke's Diner.
Many Gilmore Girls find Jess problematic and it's understandable, as he made mistakes, was rude, and took a while to grow up. But he did show some character and ability to work hard, and people could have given her more of a chance. If he applied himself, he could do well.
Stars Hollow Was Right: He Didn't Learn To Be Respectful Until He Was Older
While Jess did have many good qualities, he also struggled to be polite to people he didn't feel like talking to, and that included Rory's family.
When Jess came to one Friday Night Dinner, he had a black eye, and Emily didn't find this impressive at all. It took Jess a long time to learn to show other people respect instead of attitude and contempt, and this is one reason why it makes sense that people in Stars Hollow weren't so sure about him.